Faculty Shout-out by Professor Steve Rachman:
“Jack was part of the cohort in our pop culture class that are now graduating. He is interested in both English and English Education and I am sure he will make a great teacher. He has a natural way of getting a discussion going. He is thoughtful, friendly, and brave. No one in our class will ever forget his performance of a song of his own composition about the Consumer Price Index. It was very funny and smart, and he may have a future as a musical satirist, if he wants a change from teaching!”
How would you describe your time as an English or Film Studies major at MSU?
I have loved being an English major at MSU, I feel that I have taken a wide variety of engaging English courses and met a lot of great students and faculty along the way.
Which classes, instructors, or experiences particularly stand out for you and why? How did they prepare you for the next phase of your life?
I’m reminded of when I took Dr. Rachman’s course on pop culture last spring. The content was always interesting and I loved the amount of creative freedom that was allowed for assignments and projects. I had a few friends in that class and met a few more, we always enjoyed ourselves and each other during class!
What advice would you give future English or Film Studies majors, based on your experiences in the department?
Some of my best friends that I have made here at MSU have been classmates from English courses, they’re full of cool people. You’ll never regret coming out of your shell in class once or twice in class to start a conversation with someone new.
What coursework-related projects were/are you working on this year, and what interests or excites you about them? (capstone courses, honors thesis, independent studies, etc.)
While I am currently working on a couple different education-related portfolio projects, I was given a few opportunities to write more creatively this year for some other courses. I had a lot of fun writing an adaptation/extension of H.G. Wells “The Time Machine” for my final paper in my Victorian literature course this past fall. It had been a long time since I was given the opportunity to write a story for a grade, I found that I enjoyed the process a lot and hope to continue writing creatively in the future.
What are your hopes and aspirations, post-graduation?
I am going to be attending a masters of education program after I graduate to get certified to teach English at the secondary level, I hope to be teaching by the 2025-26 school year. I also hope to adjust to a non-student life and have enough mobility to travel to some new places in due time…